In my last post I talked about knowing the heart of another person. And wouldn’t you know it…I was challenged to put this truth into practice. When Larry and I visited our friend who has cancer, I said something really stupid to him when we left. I mean, it seemed like the stupidest thing that could be said. At least that was the accusation I believed. I began my usual routine: beating myself up!

“Kathy, you stupid! Why did you say something so insensitive and stupid? What must he think of you? What must he think about how much you care about him? Why can’t you ever say the right thing?” By later that evening, I should have had black and blue marks on my brain, I had hit beat myself up emotionally so much.

I knew I was succumbing to believing lies but somehow I think I should just stop doing it, rather than taking the action that Scripture says. Finally I knew only obeying my loving Heavenly Father’s instructions would deliver me.

I first rehearsed where the accusations were coming from: Satan. Revelation 12:10 tells us, “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night” (NASB).

I next relied upon 2 Corinthians 10:5: “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” (NASB).

How do we do that? One way is to resist Satan (James 4:7). For me in that situation, it meant saying out loud, “Satan, in the Name of Jesus’ who defeated you at Calvary through His blood, I resist and rebuke you. I tell you I’m not going to believe your lies any longer. I am a child of the King and I have been given the mind of Christ; therefore, I am not stupid. I’m not going to cooperate with you any longer.”

Now, had I tried to believe that truth since the incident happened? Yes. I knew the truth that I possessed “in Christ” the mind of Christ. But it wasn’t until I resisted Satan that the flaming missiles (Ephesians 6:16) actually stopped bombarding me. And I mean stopped! It always surprises me (but it shouldn’t) that the accusations stop! It’s like there’s this peace that’s supernatural. Where before a tense battle was going on–the air filled with volleys of bad thoughts; now there’s a peaceful vacuum of still air. It’s uncanny. And usually it takes me a few minutes to think back and realize that something is now very different.

This has happened so many times before. Why can’t I go there right away? Why do I wallow in the mud when power is available to defeat the enemy immediately? I guess I’m just …. No, I’m not going to give Satan an opportunity. 🙂

What lie of Satan’s do you succumb to most regularly? How can you resist Satan by taking every thought captive? What inheritance of being “in Christ” can you claim that will stop Satan’s flaming missiles from assailing you?

You do have power! Use it!